Chapter 11
Pages were neatly turned one by one and laid out in front of Lady Salt.
As she carefully examined the catalog, she realized one thing: the items chosen by the young lady rumored to bring misfortune were utterly unremarkable.
The designs and colors were simple and ordinary, neither stylish nor unique.
But it was hard to believe that a royal-born lady like Adeline would genuinely have such bland taste.
“Could she be doing this on purpose?”
After repeatedly studying Adeline’s calm face, Lady Salt was sure.
Her detached gaze, as if she were indifferent to the world, didn’t match that of a bride-to-be. Of course, this marriage had a complicated backstory.
But for Adeline, who came with nothing, Count Meitner was an excellent match.
Surely, it was better than a royal-born woman becoming the mistress of a poor noble house and struggling through life.
But Lady Salt, hiding her thoughts, gently replied, “Alright. Let’s start by looking at these first.”
“Thank you for helping, Lady Salt.”
“Not at all. If you don’t mind, I’ll recommend a few additional items. We can check them out while heading to the boutique—it won’t be troublesome.”
Her suggestion was so expertly presented that there was no room for refusal.
After all, Michael was paying for everything.
It wouldn’t do for the future Mrs. Meitner’s wedding to appear too plain.
The wedding had drawn widespread public attention, and Lady Salt didn’t want rumors spreading that Count Meitner was stingy toward his bride.
“That won’t do,” she thought firmly. Michael had entrusted her with the wedding preparations, meaning money wasn’t a concern.
With this resolve, she gestured to a maid waiting by the entrance.
“Shall we get going? Checking the dresses first would be a good start. It’s about 30 minutes away, so let’s head there now.”
Her words were immediately followed by the attendants gathering the catalogs from the table.
Adeline silently followed Lady Salt, bracing herself for a seemingly endless series of busy days.
—
Adeline lay on the bed, staring blankly at the plain ceiling.
Each day was unbearably exhausting. Outsiders might scoff and dismiss her complaints as ungrateful whining.
But the constant focus and tension were enough to wear anyone out.
After choosing a dress, she was bombarded with dozens of outfits, accessories, and even floral arrangements for the wedding.
The list seemed endless.
*Sigh.*
Her deep sigh dissolved into the darkness of the bedroom.
The wedding was now just a week away. Closing her eyes to sleep, Adeline found her mind unwilling to rest despite her physical exhaustion.
Eventually, she pushed back the covers and walked toward the window.
“Some of the Meitner estate staff will stay here.
If you need anything, ask Ralph, who handles the household matters,” Michael had said the evening she arrived.
His tone had been brisk and businesslike, without any warmth.
Adeline quietly accepted the gesture, outwardly acknowledging it as her future husband’s generosity.
Yet inwardly, it unsettled her. The unfamiliar staff fulfilled their duties, but their watchful gazes made her feel scrutinized.
Being penniless meant accepting many things in silence, a truth Adeline had come to understand over the past months.
“Did the letter reach him?”
Pulling back the half-drawn curtain, Adeline counted the days.
It had been three weeks since she sent a letter to her nephew, Colin, at the hospital.
She hadn’t expected a lengthy reply or anything detailed. But surely he could write something simple—perhaps, “I miss you” or “I’m thinking of you.”
With no news, her chest felt heavy. However, she reminded herself that if something were wrong, she’d have heard by now.
Trying to ease her worry, Adeline stepped away from the window.
It was 2:15 a.m., and sleep still eluded her. She closed her tired eyes, longing for the Yukon beach in Lechern and the blue sea from the villa.
She missed her family, who had all passed on the same day.
Pulling the covers over her head, Adeline’s tears soaked into the fabric.
Only the cold moonlight wrapped around her as the night deepened.
—
“Father, is there truly no other way?”
“Valentina, as you know, this marriage was arranged by the royal family, and Count Meitner accepted it.
What can we possibly do now?”
Baron Tern gently patted Valentina’s hand as she pleaded like a child.
He regretted not having pushed harder to connect her with Count Meitner earlier.
“If only things had gone differently, the royal family wouldn’t have interfered.”
But handling the elusive Count was no easy task. And who could’ve predicted the royal family would intervene so suddenly?
“I need to find another suitable match quickly,” he decided practically.
While the baron made his plans, Valentina felt like she was losing her mind.
“Father!”
Her days had been filled with rosy dreams. But now, out of nowhere, someone else had taken the place she believed was hers.
“Please, Father,” she begged, clutching his arm in desperation, but his answer didn’t change.
She understood the situation—Count Meitner had chosen the royal family’s proposal, leaving no room for argument.
Still, she couldn’t let it go.
“Isn’t Michael perfect? He’s one of the best marriage prospects.”
“On the surface, yes. But you know the stories surrounding the Meitner family.
Men with that kind of family history often have hidden instability.”
“That’s true. I’ve also heard severe depression can pass down to future generations.”
Among marriageable young women, such rumors were common.
Michael had wealth, status, and charm, but his family’s tragic past cast a shadow.
Some feared he might one day follow the same dark path as his ancestors.
Yet Valentina wasn’t deterred. As a baron’s daughter, marrying into a prestigious noble house was worth any cost to her.
Initially, her goal was clear: to climb higher. But the more she visited the Meitner estate, the more captivated she became by Michael himself.
She had even spread rumors about their relationship, believing his silence might indicate mutual interest.
“Maybe he feels the same,” she had thought.
But now, he was marrying someone else!
When she first heard the news, she was so shocked she almost fainted.
Her resentment only grew as time passed.
—
Early one morning, a man arrived at the Meitner estate. He was the manager of the Meitner Corporation, owned by the Count.
Returning from a two-month trip to Lecern, Dimon Hounds was led to the Count’s study.
“Please, go in, Mr. Hounds.”
The butler’s polite greeting was familiar, and Dimon bowed slightly before entering the room.
He had only returned yesterday, with a mountain of reports to deliver. But what caught him off guard was the news of Michael’s sudden marriage.
Still, he showed no emotion as he respectfully bowed.
“It’s been a while, my lord.”
“Welcome back. Please, have a seat.”
Michael, as always, appeared calm. Taking his place across from the Count, Dimon couldn’t shake the memory of a message he’d received three weeks ago.
“Find detailed information about Colin, Adeline Bernadotte’s nephew, including his current condition.”
